Trio at the Top

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Yes, the Oakland A’s rotation is the class of the AL West, but that’s no reason to overlook the players the Rangers send to the hill.

Although Matt Harrison is on the DL, Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and a consistent Alexi Ogando are a formidable trio. From top to bottom, these three have experience and recent success. The team’s fifth starter, Nick Tepesch, has also shown promising signs during his short sample of work.

Despite a couple bumps, the Texas starters are holding up their end this season. They have helped pitch three shutouts already through 16 games.

Offense Has Nowhere to Go but Up

Strangely enough, the Rangers' biggest issue this season has been offense. They rank in the bottom half of the league in runs scored—very unusual for the traditional offensive powerhouse.

A similar dry spell doomed the team late last year, so is this simply a sign of things to come?

Probably not. Three of the Rangers' most important hitters—Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre and David Murphy—won’t hit .237 and below all year like they are right now. They all have track records that prove otherwise.

When the offense picks things up, it will make the Rangers much more difficult to beat.

Superior Resources

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The Rangers’ farm system (currently ranked third by Baseball America) is frequently a popular topic of conversation—even more so in recent months.

When the trade deadline rolls around, Jon Daniels will have more than enough resources to land an impact player, if he feels the deal is right. The team's rivals in the AL West, however, aren't quite in the same boat (Baseball America ranks Oakland and Los Angeles’ systems 25th and 30th, respectively).

Thanks to their loaded system, the Rangers have made some big splashes the past three years—Cliff Lee, Mike Adams and Ryan Dempster, among others.

Who the player(s) will be this year remains a mystery, but what is certain is that the Rangers are once again in perfect position to make a move.